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2019 Agents & Editors Conference
Update 6/24/19: FINAL DETAILS!
What to bring, what to do, getting ready for the big weekend ahead
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We're just a few days away from the 2019 Agents & Editors Conference. Here are some last reminders and tips for you as you prepare for the weekend ahead.
- If you have booked a room at the conference venue, the Hyatt Regency (208 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704) through our group block, please remember that official check-in time is 4 pm and check-out time is 11 am. Wifi in your guest room is included, and you will also receive a discounted parking rate that should be reflected on your bill. (We recommend you remind the hotel of this at check-in.)
- At this time, we have closed ticket sales for the Saturday Keynote Luncheon and the RSVP list for the Sunday Closing Luncheon. Registration for these two events will be re-opened at check-in if space allows.
- Conference check-in: 11:00 am-4:30 pm on Friday, Big Bend A-C (on the first floor of the Hyatt).
Please take the time to look over the additional information provided below. If you have questions, please contact us as soon as possible. Our offices will be closed beginning at noon on Thursday, June 27, in order for us to set up for the conference.
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WHAT TO BRING
Proof of purchase. We do our best to avoid mistakes, but having your proof of purchase (the confirmation email you received when you registered or purchased) for any events or add-ons (including: your conference registration and the two luncheons) will help us to make check-in run smoothly; please do bring these with you if at all possible.
Consultation confirmation emails. If you're scheduled for any one-on-one consultations with agents or editors, you should have received an email detailing your appointment times. We ask that you bring this printed email with you; we'll ask you about this when you check-in, so please make every effort to have this email on hand. (If you haven't received an email from us with details, call us ASAP.)
Note-taking materials, such as pens, paper, or a fully-charged laptop or tablet (we can't guarantee you'll be able to find an available outlet to recharge during sessions; make sure your devices are charged!). Your conference program comes with several blank pages for notes, and we'll have pens available at check-in.
Business cards, if you have them, to hand out to fellow writers, exhibitors, and other people you meet.
Layers. A light sweater, blazer, or hoodie can come in handy if you find the indoor AC too chilly. (Texas in the summer: hot outside, cold inside!)
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WHAT TO DO
Look over the full schedule and plan your days. (Check out the 2019 A&E Conference program
here
. You'll also receive a printed copy in your welcome bag.) Be sure to have back-up options in case your first session choice is full.
Choose your Friday afternoon genre sessions. (Find them in the program.) We hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to get some tips from experienced writers and publishing professionals about pitching books within your particular genre.
Double-check your consultation times.
Pay special attention to whether the consultation is on Saturday or Sunday. Plan to arrive at your consultation on time (and no more than 15 minutes early). If you have a consultation scheduled for 10:00 am on Saturday, you'll want to leave the opening General Session a little early, so plan accordingly by sitting close to the door and keeping track of time.
Send Executive Director Becka Oliver any questions you would love to hear our Opening Session Speaker Monique Patterson answer. Monique is Editorial Director at St. Martin's Paperbacks and Executive Editor at St. Martin's Press.
Some of her authors include co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and award-winning author asha bandele (When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir), National Book Award Winner Jeff Chang (Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation and Who We Be: A Cultural History of Race in Post- Civil Rights America), #1 New York Times bestsellers PC and Kristin Cast (Moon Chosen & The Dysasters), New York Times bestselling husband and wife writing duo, Ashley and JaQuavis Coleman (The Cartel series) and award-winning author, Sarah Bird (Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen). Monique is a member of the
Macmillan Diversity and Inclusion Council. You can send questions to [email protected].
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GET READY FOR CONFERENCE DAY ONE
When you arrive at the the conference venue (Hyatt Regency, 208 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, TX 78704) on Friday, June 28, you'll head to the WLT Check-in and Information Desk to check-in with your friendly staff and volunteers. Check-in opens at 11:00 am (and not a minute before!) on the first floor of the Hyatt Regency in Big Bend A-C.
Friday's program begins at 1:00 pm with Genre Sessions, small group gatherings led by published authors and industry experts aimed at helping you think about how you'll pitch your project in the context of your genre or category (General Fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Picture Books/Middle Grade/Young Adult, Nonfiction, Memoir, Mystery/Thriller, Historical Fiction, and Romance).
After the Genre Sessions, starting at 3:30 pm, you'll have the chance to practice your pitch with other conference participants (no agents or editors, no stress) at the Pitch Lab, one of our most popular sessions every year.
Finally, at the Friday Welcome Reception, which kicks off at 4:30 pm, you'll hear some opening announcements from staff, you'll mix and mingle with fellow attendees, and enjoy light bites and a cash bar.
To listen to the 2019 "Practice Makes Pitch Perfect" podcast (recorded last week and featuring tips and words of advice for making your pitch as effective as possible), click
here
. We really hope you'll listen to this latest one - it also includes some up to date information about the event that you may find helpful. Enjoy!
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PLUS, WE WANTED TO MENTION...
Parking: If you are
not staying at the Hyatt Regency and will be parking your car each day in the hotel's parking garage, chaser tickets that give you a special $10 day rate will be available at the WLT Check-in and Information Desk all three days of the conference. You will need a chaser ticket for each day that you park in the garage (this ticket will be inserted into the machine at the garage's exit
after you've inserted your original parking ticket).
Dietary restrictions for meals: If you notified us via the form you were sent about any dietary restrictions for the Saturday Keynote Luncheon, you will receive an email from us on Wednesday with information.
Anti-Harassment Policy:
The Writers' League is committed to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone. To read the full Anti-Harassment Policy for this year's event, click here.
Hello, WLT Members: All registrants who are current members of the WLT will have a blue dot on their name badges. This is our way of encouraging members to meet and get to know each other. And if you're not a member and would like to learn more about membership benefits, just ask a staff member (or strike up a conversation with someone wearing a blue dot!).
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MEET THE WRITERS' LEAGUE STAFF: LOOK FOR THESE FRIENDLY FACES AT THE CONFERENCE
Becka Oliver
Executive Director
"Whether this is your very first conference or you've been to several, I encourage you to approach the weekend with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Take lots of notes, walk up to someone you don't know and start a conversation, ask a question at a panel session. Get everything you can out of these three days - and then go home and rest."
Michael Noll
"The best advice I've heard from a former conference attendee (one who eventually published his book with a big house) is to treat the conference as the first in a series of steps. You'll hear agents and editors talking during panels--take notes and reference something they said when you follow up with an emailed query. You should also follow up authors you meet; tell them how much you enjoyed their book. And you should definitely follow up with your fellow attendees. Build your community!"
Kelsey Williams
"Leave the outside world behind you -- resist the urge to check personal or work email between sessions, so that you can be fully present and get to know the writers around you!"
Samantha Babiak
"Be sure to stop by the BookPeople table and support your local indie bookseller. The best way to support authors is to buy their books!"
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DON'T FORGET
Find 20 great tips for making the conference a success
here.
Find a long list of frequently asked questions
here.
To get a sneak peak at the program, click
here.
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WHAT TO DO IN AUSTIN
Want to spend your non-conference time enjoying the sights of Austin? Here are some suggestions:
- Want to take in the beauty? Explore Zilker Park, Zilker Botanical Gardens, and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum. Or visit the Blanton Museum of Art or The Contemporary Austin--Laguna Gloria.
- Feeling outdoorsy? Why not go canoeing, kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake. Or take a dip in Barton Springs, where it's always a cool 68 degrees, even in the middle of summer. You can also walk a short distance on the lake trail behind the Hyatt to the Congress Avenue Bridge to see the famous bats emerge at sunset - the largest urban colony in North America. Call 512-327-9721 for times.
- Focusing on literature? Visit the Gutenberg Bible and other exhibits at the Harry Ransom Center or stop by the O. Henry House.
- History buff? Don't miss the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum or the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.
- Shopper? Stroll down South Congress, just around the corner from the Hyatt hotel, and take in the funky shops, galleries, and eateries that help keep Austin weird.
- Music lover? Downtown streets and the warehouse district are home to a number of renowned music clubs. Check out the Austin Chronicle Music Calendar for listings.
For more suggestions, ask the Hyatt's friendly concierge or any WLT staffer. And h
ave fun!
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Join the Facebook event page for the 2019 Agents & Editors Conference. It's a great place to meet fellow attendees ahead of time, ask questions, and communicate with others about sharing rooms or rides. Find it here.
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This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
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Writers' League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts - Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to
www.arts.texas.gov
.
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This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities,
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